1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to livestock feeders, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved feeder for feeding livestock salt, minerals, grains, and the like.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Feeders for feeding livestock salt, grain, minerals and other pellatized foodstuffs are well known. Customarily, such feeders have been constructed of rigid materials, such as wood or metal. Such construction often results in the feeders becoming damaged or permanently deformed when engaged by an animal or during the transport of the feeder. It further results in the rotting of the wood, the formation of rust, the need for metal welding and for continually painting, and the development of sharp edges which can cause serious injury to an animal.
The construction of prior art livestock feeders further poses difficulty in the transport of such feeders and the preservation of feed contained in the feeder. More specifically, prior art livestock feeders are not easily disassembled for storage and transportation because they are either of unitary construction or configured of bulky components which are not easy to store and transport. In addition, such feeders are usually shaped so as to prevent the feeder from being moved from one location to another in a field or pasture by an individual without the feeder being susceptible to damage or permanent deformation. The construction of prior art livestock feeders also results in feed contained in the feeders being exposed to moisture which can cause the feed to solidify or cake and thus be nonconsumable by livestock.
To this end, a need has long existed for an improved livestock feeder which is resilient when engaged by livestock, easy to assemble and disassemble, easy to transport when either assembled or disassembled, and constructed to store and preserve a supply of feed. It is to such an improved livestock feeder that the present invention is directed.